Fork Braces

Those inserts look so massive, I would suspect you'll have them bottoming on the bottom yoke before the suspension internals run out of travel...

This one by RGM one seems to be the best of them. Paul, if you have a kit for 6 inches travel on board the brace is line on line at the top just like on a stock bike at full compression. There is just enough room. Remember the extra travel comes from the sliders extending further down the stanchions. But by far the best feature of the brace is the extension of the bushings without the loss of the travel that is possible. Now if you could get some floating seals to work in them all would be good.

Take a look at the bikes on the grid at any classic road race meeting, and take note of how many have fork braces fitted.

Paul if ya meant it seems Ms Peel bottomed forks with her 6" travel and RGM brace, NOPE, but did bash in my fender into crossed over LH header on landings but then the dent increased clearance so silent runing and very secure aiming and recovery action. I've got reports the Hyde brace is more decorative than stiffening when push comes to shove. For me to detect the help of a fork brace took rather dangerous power and speed in very tight pavement turns or leaping down into and blasting up out of 2-3 stories deep ravines. Also in pretty far over sweepers.

One thing I've learned on Commandos is when ya see something really good, you'd better jump on it as may be gone next season. If really really neat item, get 2.

I made a stainless steel fork brace not unlike the ebay ones in bwolfie's link.

Mine is the same size and shape as the standard mudguard bridge exept I made it from 6mm x 60mm stainless flat barstock.
It was bent usuing a hydraulic press and metal formers and V blocks in three pieces and stainless mig welded together.
I removed the studs from the fork legs, helicoiled the holes and used capheads to attach the brace.

It has made a difference but I have no experience of a "proper" one so I can't really judge.
My view is that anything like this that can be made from a few scraps of material and kit I already have in the shed is well worth the effort.

Rocker1 - Pics please, pretty please?

Hi John

Not very good photo's I am afraid, If I had realised people would be interested I would have taken photo's prior to fitting.





PS I am not a polisher I even have my Z plates clear anodized so I dont need to clean them.

Regards Bob.

I like this Showa fork brace look. Had this item in mind for my featherbed project until I changed back to Roadholders and Landowne kit.

WOW those are beautiful! I'd buy something like that

Carbonfibre said:

Take a look at the bikes on the grid at any classic road race meeting, and take note of how many have fork braces fitted.

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I only know 6 classic manx racers....NONE HAVE FORK BRACE'S

john robert bould said:

Carbonfibre said:

Take a look at the bikes on the grid at any classic road race meeting, and take note of how many have fork braces fitted.

Click to expand...

I only know 6 classic manx racers....NONE HAVE FORK BRACE'S

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The most benefit from a fork brace comes in trail braking; a well ridden Manx shouldn't need much braking. Those bikes are about not slowing down because they don't accelerate with the twins, triples, and fours.

xbacksideslider said:

The most benefit from a fork brace comes in trail braking; a well ridden Manx shouldn't need much braking. Those bikes are about not slowing down because they don't accelerate with the twins, triples, and fours.

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Have you watched a Molnar or Summerfield Manx exit a corner? The year before last at Killalane Road Race in North Dublin, there was a real ding dong between a Summerfield Manx and a Rob North-framed Triumph triple with well over 100 hp, both ridden by top racers, and the guy on the triple only got by the Manx on the penultimate lap! Most of the corners are tight and you are really braking hard and you have to nail it on the exit. But your point about maintaining corner speed on a Manx is valid. Don't know if that Manx had a fork brace (probably not) but I would not discount one for a Commando.

Rocker1 — I really like your fork brace. You would have to look carefully to spot it, and it doesn't spoil the classic lines. How significant an improvement is it?

Hello Daveh

Just u tubed Killalane road race. That is one I must get to. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

As for the fork brace it is all a bit of an accident really, I stripped the wheel out to do a couple of little jobs, Tyre and progressive springs ect and noticed the standard mudguard bridge was corrded on the underside, Having decided to make one from stainless I thought that it might be better to make it more robust and serve as a fork brace. As with many motorcyles the Norton is very much "work in progress" and as I had changed three things at one time it is hard to tell exactly how much difference the brace has made. However there is a real improvment to the braking stability and I feel the bike tracks better.
This the Mk1 version was to have been superseeded by the Mk2 with a 10mm square stainless bar welded on the inside forming a T section and following the contour of the original if I felt it nessisary, To date I have not bothered to modify the brace. Perhaps I am just getting too old to push the bike to the limit or perhaps the thought of damaging my own two 10mm x 250mm titanium lower spine braces keeps my right hand in check!

Regards Bob.
ps I am not a polisher, Go for a ride or polish? No contest.

I highly avoid any trail braking as most dangerous state to get in and least effective for braking effect but did find trying stoppies was easier with a brace on, but could only slide front not really lift rear off for show. I also learned that any bike laid way over and needing the forks turned hard and fast to get er up in time for next path, can cause the forks to twist then whip back harder to cause bike to judder at hi freq. enough to skip front tire out of what little traction it might of had. Even if you don't press to limits, can't always predict need to avoid or brake in crisis out of the blue. I get to do that now and then when nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying.

I remind people best safe sane way to test out modifications or just plain be familar with handling quirks is to ride half low air in front, then back then both to learn feel of slow flat tire early on and to know how the best racers handle limits of corner speed, and error recovery.

Bob — thanks for the low down on the fork brace. I might try making something like this if I get a suitable piece of plate.

Killalane is very accessible from across the ditch, 30-40 mins from the Dublin Port ferry terminal. You often see some GB plates in the bike parks or paddock. It's on the weekend of the 10/11th September. There should be two classic races in the programme.

Killalane on-board lap with commentary, for anyone who is interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDDmYErBY24

Dave

Daveh - thanks for that link. Spooky fast track - Killalane. At that track, I can see how a good rider of singles, well versed in not slowing down, and taking full advantage of the narrowness of the track and the single track nature of the fast lines could keep much more powerful bikes at bay. He's going to carry more speed through the slow corners anyway, and if he's got some distance built up on the entries, and a fst single, and he blocks effectively until he gets into the fast narrow lines, well then, he's done it. Been there done that.